The Business Voice, Fall 2021

SIX KEYS

to Winning the War for Talent

Embracing Apprenticeships The time is now

FALL 2021 | novachamber.org 1

the business voice

| S U M M E R 2 018

JOHNNY MAC SOLDIERS FUND Honoring the fallen one scholarship at a time ROADMAP TO RESKILLING WORKERS Retooling educational and training programs to meet the demands of the technology industry

Championing Digital Inclusion According to Common Sense Media, 16 million students and nearly 400,000 teachers in America don’t have adequate internet access to support distance learning. While those numbers are alarming, at Cox, we’re actively doing something about it.

Our Connect2Compete program offers low-cost internet to families with K-12 students, eligible for government assistance.

With no annual contract or fees, these families can get reliable broadband at home for only $9.95 a month. Last year alone we connected more than 5,000 households in Virginia.

And we raised our hand without hesitation to participate in federal programs like the Emergency Broadband Benefit program which delivers financial relief to customers, and the Emergency Connectivity Fund which provides funding to schools and libraries to deliver internet services to individuals and families.

We’re committed to living out the values set in place by our founder; to build a better world for the next generation. We’ll continue leading the way, partnering with local organizations, ensuring people stay connected and working so Virginia can continue to be a best place for business.

But no one business, government or nonprofit can bridge the digital divide alone. It’s going to take all of us championing digital inclusion to solve this. Will you join us? Learn more at www.cox.com.

Kathryn Falk Vice President Northern Virginia Operations

Need talent?

Join the nation’s most aggressive regional talent attraction initiative.

Join the effort to attract and retain the most talented workers and fill jobs in Northern Virginia. The Fairfax County Economic Development Authority is aggressively marketing our region’s companies to top talent across the nation, from New York to San Francisco Whether it’s virtual career fairs, digital influencers or media relations, we offer the tools and messaging your company needs to land talent. And at no cost to you. Contact us to get involved. Visit www.workinnorthernvirginia.com.

AGENDA Inside this issue

fall 2021

6

Letter from the Chair 8

Members Making News 10

Your Chamber in Action 12

Government Affairs 16

Six Keys to Winning the War for Talent 18

Cover Story: Embracing Apprenticeships: The time is now 20

Spotlight on Nonprofit: Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund:

Honoring the fallen one scholarship at a time 22

Spotlight on Education: Roadmap to Reskilling Workers:

Retooling educational and training programs to meet the demands of the technology industry 24

18

Embracing Apprenticeships 4

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Spotlight on Small Business: Every Word Matters:

Piedmont Global Language Solutions delivers accurate communication in any language 26

Chamber Signature Events 28

New Members

Upcoming Chamber Events To stay apprised of the events featured here and all upcoming events, keep an eye on Chamber emails and visit the website for complete details and registration information: novachamber.org/upcoming-events Keeping members informed and providing opportunities for peer-to-peer engagement are part of the Chamber’s ongoing mission. We accomplish this through a variety of activities that range from expert-led, topical events to focused group discussions. Following is the

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

12 New Member

2 Greater Washington Apprentice

19 State of Economic

3 Greater Washington Government

Orientation 3 p.m.

Growth 9-10:30 a.m. Don’t miss this opportunity to listen to and participate in a unique conversation on Virginia’s national and regional competitiveness.

Join the Chamber as we host Dr. Stephen Moret, President and CEO of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and the leaders of the Northern Virginia Economic Development Alliance, including Victor Hoskins, President & CEO, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority; Stephanie Landrum, President & CEO, Alexandria Economic Development Partnership; Buddy Rizer, Executive Director of Economic Development, Loudoun County; Telly Tucker, Director, Arlington Economic Development, and Christina Winn, Executive Director, Prince William Department of Economic Development.

Location: Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

28 Young

Professionals Forum: Networking Reception 11 a.m.

Network 2 p.m.

Contractor Awards 5 p.m.

9 Distinguished Service Awards 7:30 a.m. Join the Northern Virginia

Chamber of Commerce and Keynote Speaker Alan Salisbury, Major General (Ret), and Co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Code of Support Foundation, as we honor individuals, companies, and nonprofit organizations for their service to Veterans in the greater Washington business community. Location: Army Navy Country Club, 1700 Army Navy Dr., Arlington

10 Stay Competitive in Today’s

Cutthroat Recruitment and Retention Market 9 a.m.

11 Speed Networking 3 p.m.

18 Young Professionals Forum 11 a.m.

DECEMBER

2 Capital Region Workforce Summit 8:30 a.m.

6 Advocacy 101 10 a.m.

7 Greater Washington Apprentice Network 2 p.m.

9 Women in Business Signature Event: Leading Diversity 8:30 a.m

14 New Member Orientation 3 p.m.

16 Chamber Holiday Party 5 p.m.

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce 7900 Westpark Drive, Suite A550, Tysons, VA 22102-3853 Phone: 703.749.0400 Fax: 703.749.9075 www.novachamber.org • To learn more about membership, please contact John Woodstock, 703.725.7526; jwoodstock@novachamber.org

THE BUSINESS VOICE Published by

TO ADVERTISE

Contact Bruce Potter bpotter@insidenova.com 571.333.1538 EDITOR

Susan McCorkindale • ART DIRECTOR

Kara Thorpe •

InsideNoVa.com 1360 Old Bridge Road Woodbridge VA 22192 ©2021 Rappahannock Media LLC

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FROM THE CHAIR Friends and Fellow Members of the NOVA Business Community,

I

t was great seeing many of you at the Chamber’s Welcome Back Celebration in August – our first in-person event since March 2020! The reception was wellattended, and we enjoyed The Garden’s indoor/outdoor venue.

Continuing to bring the business community together is a priority – as is the health and safety of our members.

Earlier this summer, we heard from you, our members, that you were ready to return to in-person events. More recently, we have heard that you would be more comfortable attending in-person events knowing that other attendees are fully vaccinated. As the realities of the Delta variant emerged, it became clear that we needed to consider adopting a vaccination policy.

Therefore in September, the Chamber began requiring all staff, members and guests who attend our events to be fully vaccinated. We are keeping our process simple – all event attendees are asked to provide a physical COVID-19 vaccine card, a photo of a vaccination card, or Health Pass by CLEAR as they arrive at an event, before they collect their badge. And for those who are unable to be vaccinated because of a medical or deeply held religious reason, we have a process for that too. You will find the full details on the registration pages for all Chamber events.

We hope that this precaution will help our community feel comfortable 6

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attending events in person. We have several great ones planned for the fall including the Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards on Nov. 3, the Distinguished Service Awards on Nov. 9, the Capital Region Workforce Summit on Dec. 2, and the Women in Business Signature event on Leading Diversity on Dec. 9.

The Chamber leadership team has also been hard at work putting the final touches on our strategic plan. One of the three core pillars of the plan is workforce development. You can read about some of our workforce initiatives in this issue of The Business Voice. As you’ll see, we have a lot going on that has the potential to make a significant impact on our region, including the Greater Washington Apprentice Network, the NOVA

Workforce Network and the Northern Virginia Workforce Index. Also, stay tuned for more information about how you can support these impactful workforce initiatives by supporting the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

I hope to see you in-person at an event soon.

Wishing you a healthy and productive fall, Luanne LUANNE S. GUTERMUTH

2021-2022 Chair, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors President, LSG Solutions LLC

Washington Gas is proud to support the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Washington Gas is the preferred source for safe, reliable and affordable energy solutions in our area. We also know that our responsibilities do not end there. We’ve made a commitment to help enhance the quality of life throughout our communities. That’s why we’re proud to work with local organizations that improve people’s health, promote a cleaner environment, support efforts to better educate our youth and as a result, enrich lives today and for generations to come.

To learn more about how Washington Gas is helping create a healthier, more vibrant community, visit https://www.washingtongas.com.

Industry Leaders

ThunderCat Technology Makes the 2021 Washington Technology Top 100 List

Rising Stars

Jerry Black Promoted to VP for Criterion’s USDA Business

Tom Deierlein, CEO, ThunderCat Technology

ThunderCat Technology, a service-disabled veteran owned small business that delivers technology products and services to the federal government, announced recently that it has been named to Washington Technology’s Top 100 list at #49. This list is one of the leading indicators measuring the performance of the largest contractors in the government market and this marks ThunderCat’s eighth appearance on it. CEO Tom Deierlein said about being an eight-time member of the prestigious list: “Over the past eight years we have slowly but surely climbed the rankings up this list. It is exciting to finally make the Top 50.”

Unanet Moves Up Rankings in Latest Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Businesses Unanet, the leading provider of project-based ERP and CRM solutions, was named to the Inc. 5000 for the fourth consecutive year. Unanet continued its climb up the rankings of the nation's fastest-growing private companies and this year is #3374. “Unanet’s growth is a combination of strategic acquisitions and significantly increased market share owing to our focus on a best-in-class alternative to the status quo in the industry,” said Craig Halliday, CEO of Unanet.

Jerry Black, Vice President, USDA Business, Criterion Systems

Jerry Black, program manager for Criterion Systems’ U.S. Department of Agriculture Information Technology Support Services contract, was recently elevated to a vice president role at the Vienna-based IT contractor. Black has three decades of IT experience and has played a role in federal civilian market expansion efforts, primarily within USDA, since he joined the company four years ago.

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Oracle Named a Leader for Third Successive Time in the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud ERP for Product-Centric Enterprises

Rondy Ng, Senior Vice President, Applications Development, Oracle. |

FALL 2021

Oracle has been named a leader for the third successive time in the 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud ERP for Product-Centric Enterprises for Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Resource Planning.

“We continue to see Oracle Cloud ERP set the standard and be both the driver and defining factor in our customer's success in adapting to a dynamic business environment,” said Rondy Ng, senior vice president of applications development, Oracle.

Photo by Bonnie Hobbs.

Good Deeds

Britepaths Receives Donation of New Laptops Fairfax-based nonprofit Britepaths recently received a donation of 43 laptop computers from the local chapter of ITServe Alliance. The laptops are for Britepaths’ clients to use.

“The laptops they gave us are new and were purchased through donations from ITServe’s members,” said Britepaths spokeswoman Heather Webb.

“Most are for adults to use, and we’ll offer them to our clients who need them – particularly those in our Avenues to Career Training program.”

The program provides skill-building support to Fairfax County residents interested in health-care careers.

Britepaths client Alicia Salmon receives her new laptop from Anil Atyam, whose company is part of ITServe Alliance.

Community Foundation of Northern Virginia Launches Fund to Help Afghan Refugees In September, the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia launched the Afghan Relief and Resettlement Fund to support refugees who either pass through or are resettled in the area. The fund is managed by the foundation, and all donations will be used to support local and regional nonprofits.

“This is a trying time for Afghan refugees and evacuees,” said Eileen Ellsworth, the foundation's president and CEO. "The least we can do is our very best to welcome and embrace them, to convey our deepest concern for their welfare, and to let them know they are not alone.”

In the Works Photo by Jay Westcott

Dittmar-owned Randolph Towers on N. Randolph St. and 9th St. N.

Dittmar Looks to Use Furnished Apartments as Hotel Rooms The Tysons-based developer and property management group Dittmar Co. has asked the Arlington County Board for permission to convert up to 75 furnished apartment units in three Arlington buildings into flexible hotel rooms. Randolph Towers in Ballston, Courtland Towers in Courthouse and Virginia Square Towers in Virginia Square will each have 25 units available as short-term rentals under the proposal. These “Flexible Units,” which comprise less than 5% of the total units in each building, may be rented for short-term stays of fewer than 30 days or long-term stays of more than 30 days.

Grand Openings Photo by Bruce Potter

Capital One’s ‘The Perch’ opens in Tysons The Perch, a new event and entertainment space atop Capital One Hall in Tysons, has opened, along with Northern Virginia’s first Starr Hill Brewery. The Perch and the brewery are part of Capital One’s headquarters complex at Route 123 and the The Perch includes Beltway and are open to the public. An official plenty of green opening for the Perch and brewery was held Sept. space and native plants, and 17-19 at an event called Perchfest. The adjacent available activities hotel, called the Watermark, is scheduled to open include large-size in early October, about the same time as Capital chess boards and cornhole.

One Hall begins live performances.

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GOVERNMENT Virginia Governor’s Race Enters Final Month with Focus on Big Picture

BY C L AY T O N M E D F O R D Vice President of Government Relations, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

W

ith less than a month remaining in the 2021 election season, our statewide candidates have taken aim at high-level objectives, while filling in some details of where they would take the state should the voters elect them Nov. 2. All the candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general have something to offer for the business community. Here are a few things we think are worth highlighting for 2021.

Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe has appealed to the voters to get his old job back.

For the business community,

McAuliffe is a known quantity although with a few updates since he served from 2013 to 2017. The biggest change is the fact that he just might have the opportunity to be governor as his Democratic colleagues hold majorities in both the House and Senate. Of course this also means that McAuliffe will have more opportunity to sign legislation that may not be as business-oriented as he did previously.

This is especially concerning with regard to the issue of right-to-work.

As you read in the last issue of The Business Voice, our status as a right-to-work state

is under threat on more than one front. Full repeal of the right-to-work law is back on the table and stands a good chance of passing the House of Delegates in 2022 as key legislators who previously voted against it now support its passage. It’s unclear what fate awaits the right-towork law in the Senate, but McAuliffe has said that he will sign a repeal bill should it reach his desk.

Newcomer Glenn Youngkin, the Republican candidate, has been very active on the campaign trail, making multiple stops in Northern Virginia over the past weeks. His consistent message of being a pro-business leader with meaningful corporate leadership experience is typically supplemented by data he says shows that the McAuliffe and Northam

administrations were not as business friendly as CNBC would lead you to believe.

Youngkin faced criticism over the summer for a lack of specific policy proposals, but in late August he released a “Day One Game Plan” that includes, among other things: eliminating, cutting or suspending a number of taxes and tax increases like the grocery tax and gas tax increase, requiring voter approval for property tax increases, tax rebates, eliminating the tax on PPP loans and Rebuild Virginia grants, supporting right-towork, eliminating “25% of regulations,” investing in education and more.

What is clear in this race is that the next governor will face plenty of challenges to keep Virginia’s economy on track. While our state once again ranked #1 in CNBC’s annual rankings, Virginia was in the middle of the pack on such individual rankings as the cost of doing business and infrastructure.

Our next governor will need to address those issues – reducing burdensome regulations that inhibit growth, rebuilding the Virginia Employment Commission and keeping major infrastructure projects like the American Legion Bridge and the Long Bridge replacement moving forward.

Complacency will cost us our top ranking, as will a shift from the business-friendly culture we have worked so hard to create. Business drives jobs, and if we want top-paying jobs with good benefits, we need a governor who listens to and supports the business community.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT The differences between the two candidates were clear recently when the Chamber continued its 30-year tradition of hosting the “Top of the Ticket” debate, this year between Mr. Youngkin and former Gov. McAuliffe. For more information, see the Government Affairs section in this issue.

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Northam urges business leaders to require COVID-19 vaccines for employees Photo by Bruce Potter InsideNoVa

From left, Arlington County Board member Katie Cristol, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall, Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair Ann Wheeler and Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson speak during the regional elected leaders summit.

Photo by Nolan Stout / InsideNoVa

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

McKay said Northern Virginia localities must focus on marketing to young professionals and having an identity outside of Washington. “We’re not a suburb of Washington, D.C. We are an economic employment center in Northern Virginia and we have a very high quality of life. It’s great that we’re proximate to the district, but we’re not reliant on that like we were in the past.”

Northern Virginia leaders highlight affordable housing, transportation

D

uring a panel discussion on Aug. 24, the top local government leaders in Northern Virginia said they want more affordable housing and investment in transportation for the area.

The sixth annual Regional Elected Leaders Summit was hosted by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with several other area chambers. The panelists were Prince William County Board of Supervisors Chair Ann Wheeler, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall, Arlington County Board member Katie Cristol and Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson.

The panel touched on several regional issues, including the response to the coronavirus pandemic, economic development and housing.

Cristol touted Arlington’s investment in eviction protections, while McKay focused on transparent data about the virus in Fairfax. Randall was proud that Loudoun’s government remained open to the public throughout the pandemic, and Wheeler boosted Prince William’s food distribution efforts.

Wilson said local governments in the region worked together to address ever-changing needs from the pandemic.

“We have partnered in a way I’ve never 12

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seen and it’s because we were all going through the same thing.”

Moving forward, Randall said her focus will be on protecting children from the virus rather than combating misinformation. “I am tired of begging people to save their own lives. There is no reason not to get vaccinated.”

On economic development, officials were unanimous on a need for affordable housing, along with an increase in transit and child care options to remain competitive.

Randall said areas around Metro stops need high investment. She said counties should have rural, suburban and urban development policies, but particularly that “dense vertical development belongs around transit.”

McKay said affordable housing investment should not have boundaries.

“I am tired of communities within our region being off-limits for affordable housing investment, especially when those communities contain most of the high-quality jobs those people need to be able to improve their community and family situation,” he said. “I’m willing to lose an election on this issue. … You don’t live in a complete community if the people who work in the service industry don’t live in proximity to you.”

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, chat with attendees after the Capital Region Business Forum in Washington on Sept.

9. District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser also participated in the event.

V

irginia Gov. Ralph Northam urged business leaders to follow the lead of the state and federal governments and require their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“We’re in a better place than we were back in March of 2020, but we still have a lot of work to do” to end the pandemic, Northam told about 200 business leaders at the Capital Region Business Forum on Sept. 9 in downtown Washington. The forum was presented by three regional business organizations, including the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

“The only way we’re going to get through this pandemic is to get people vaccinated,” Northam said. “I would hope that you would step up as well and say the only way we’re going to move

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Regional leaders eye infrastructure spending bills for transportation

A

t the annual State of Transportation meeting held by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 23, heads of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority and Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, as well as Virginia’s deputy secretary of transportation, all agreed that proposed 14

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federal infrastructure legislation could be transformational for the region.

With gridlock already returning to many Northern Virginia roads despite still-depressed rail ridership, the speakers said it is not the time to stop investing in the region’s transportation Democrat Terry McAuliffe (left) and Republican Glenn Youngkin listen to a question during the debate. infrastructure.

“It’s entirely too participated in their final debate on Sept. early to draw long-term conclusions about what the impact will 28, presented by the Northern Virginia be on transportation,” said Nicholas Chamber of Commerce and held at the Donohue, the state’s deputy secretary Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall and of transportation. “Will tomorrow be Arts Center in Alexandria different than today? Absolutely. Was it The debate was moderated by Chuck going to be different with or without this Todd, host of NBC’s “Meet The Press.” pandemic? Absolutely.”

The debate was largely marked by He noted that the Northern Virginia McAuliffe and Youngkin either speaking region is going to grow by 20% to 25% shortly about a topic before launching over the next 20 years. “And so … did you into attacks on each other or not directly enjoy I-95 in 2019? We are still going to answering questions. need these projects in the future even if For example, Todd said each candidate 20% or 25% of workers are teleworking.” would be given 30 seconds to answer this In most places, road travel has nearly question: “How do you convince wealthy returned to pre-pandemic levels, and homeowners that affordable housing truck traffic has actually increased should be built in their neighborhood?” over 2019. Metro and Virginia Railway Neither major-party candidate Express ridership is still well below predirectly answered. McAuliffe focused pandemic levels, but local bus ridership on incentivizing developers to construct has been more resilient and is also affordable housing, while Youngkin nearing 2019 levels. touched on increasing supply and “[The local bus] is something that removing regulatory hurdles. stayed steady and really demonstrated McAuliffe painted himself as a the importance. There are a lot of people governor who could work in a bipartisan who do not have a choice to telework and manner to tackle tough issues. they’ve really been relying on it,” said Kate Youngkin said Virginia is falling behind Mattice, executive director of the Northern neighboring states and needs to improve Virginia Transportation Commission. its economy while protecting a variety of Monica Backmon, CEO of the regional personal liberties spanning several hottransportation authority, said that the button issues. supplemental money for transit projects Their positions on the topics were with the goal of reducing congestion and relatively similar to those they have curbing vehicle emissions would help the staked out during the campaign. authority get more important projects off A RealClearPolitics average of polls the ground. from Aug. 26 to Sept. 26 shows McAuliffe with 46.7% of the vote to Youngkin’s 43.8%. Early voting has begun, and Election Day is Nov. 2.

Photo by Nolan Stout / InsideNova

forward, the only way we’re going to keep our businesses alive and well, the only way we’re going to get our children back to school safely is to get people vaccinated.”

Northam, a Democrat, was joined at the event by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, and District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser, a Democrat. The three leaders highlighted their collaboration during the pandemic and noted that the region generally has fared better than many other areas of the country.

“We’ve stuck together. People have done exactly what we asked them to do,” Bowser said. “I think we’re very well positioned for the comeback.”

Hogan and Northam both noted that a major problem facing the region now is the labor shortage, and Northam highlighted Virginia’s efforts to train new workers for 21st century jobs.

The leaders also talked about the region’s transportation challenges, including expanding the American Legion Bridge, adding toll lanes to Interstate 495 in Maryland, and funding Metro.

While road investments are necessary, Northam said, “we can’t pave our way out of congestion” and must also focus on rail and transit projects, such as the Long Bridge expansion. That project will ease train congestion over the Potomac River between Virginia and the District.

In response to a question about business taxes, Northam noted the diversification of businesses in Virginia away from a reliance on military and government contracting, as evidenced

by Amazon’s decision to build its HQ2 in Northern Virginia.

“Virginia economically is in a good position,” he said. “I don’t think anyone needs to talk about raising taxes in Virginia.”

Chamber hosts gubernatorial debate between McAuliffe, Youngkin

D

emocrat Terry McAuliffe and Republican Glenn Youngkin

This roundup was compiled from coverage of these events by InsideNoVa reporters. For the full articles and complete coverage of news from across Northern Virginia, visit InsideNoVa.com.

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CREATING LEADERS Six Keys to Winning the War for Talent

BY K AT H RY N FA L K

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed our world both at home and at work. Many workers, doing their jobs from home while caring for children, elders or sick family members, have been burdened with tremendous stress, while others have been impacted by the deaths of 660,000 Americans to date.

It is from this wellspring of stress that the “Great Resignation” has emerged. In April, a record 4 million people quit their jobs, and in July another 2 million joined them. It’s a trend that shows no sign of subsiding. According to the Microsoft Work Trend Index, a survey of 31,000 workers, 41% of those surveyed are considering an imminent job change, and 46% are planning a major career transition.

We’ve heard it time and time again: People are the most important asset any company has. Without them your business will not operate and it certainly won’t succeed. So how can your business win the war for talent?

Here are six keys to recruiting and retaining the best.

1

LEADERSHIP: People quit leaders more often than companies. A great leader helps retain the best employees by making them feel valued and providing clear goals and expectations.

Leaders also have to demonstrate a commitment to inclusion and respect for all employees. We are fortunate to live in one of the most diverse communities in the world. We should recruit and retain to serve that customer base and ensure that every voice is heard.

2

FLEXIBILITY: Flexible locations, days for remote work and flexible hours are among the top requirements of today’s workforce. According to the Microsoft Work Trend Index, postings on LinkedIn for remote jobs quintupled during the pandemic. Employers willing to accommodate these needs will be the winners.

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COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: These have always been important, but what team members want has changed.

The flexibility to take time off, for whatever reason, is critical now. Many employers, like Cox Communications, offer eligible employees the flexibility to take as much time off as desired as long as it is consistent with their duties and the company’s needs and obligations. Also included in Cox Communications’ compensation and benefits plan is paid time off for voting, vaccines and parental leave and an annual allotment of time off to volunteer. Mental health support and resources through employee assistance plans and apps for exercise and meditation are also provided.

New to the package are familyfriendly benefits like child care and tutoring assistance. And of course robust health and retirement benefits continue to be a must-have.

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4

GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES: What workers want now are training, mentoring and paid education benefits.

Internal training opportunities are key to gaining skills and helping team members grow their careers within your business. These can include in-person or online classes and stretch assignments. Additionally, promoting formal and informal mentoring helps team members deepen their sense of connection and engagement. Paid education benefits are also highly sought after. Look at Amazon. The company is offering to pay full college tuition for frontline workers, as well as the cost of high school completion and GED or ESL proficiency certifications.

5

OPPORTUNITIES TO GIVE BACK AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE: This is particularly important to younger employees who are socially conscious.

Finding ways to connect your business goals to charitable goals will help engage your team and provide a deeper sense of commitment and collaboration. Volunteering, raising money for charities or holding drives for donations of food, school supplies, books or technology are great ways to give back. Let your employees help guide the choices of causes you select, as this deepens their commitment to them. Then be sure to celebrate and highlight the good work of your team.

6

RECOGNITION AND CELEBRATION: Recognition is important both individually and as a group. Awards and rewards build engagement and connection. In our new remote/virtual world, recognition may be even more important. Be sure to give shout-outs at team meetings, share great customer feedback, celebrate anniversaries and birthdays and use social media to brag when appropriate.

All of these keys are important, but at the end of the day leadership is the most crucial. The bells and whistles are great, but they don’t make up for a leader who is not engaging their team, getting to know their hopes and dreams and career aspirations and asking them how they are doing and not what they are doing. As leaders, we need to own the fact that being a good leader is the most important tool in retaining and attracting the best talent.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kathryn Falk is the Vice President and Market Leader for Cox Communications in Northern Virginia and the immediate past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

The Washingtonian Group is proud to support THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Howard S. Rothman Vice President 202.916.3145 howard.rothman@jpmorgan.com jpmorgan.com/wg 875 15th Street NW, 7th Floor Washington, DC 20005

INVESTMENT AND INSURANCE PRODUCTS: • NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE © 2021 JPMorgan Chase & Co. All rights reserved.

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COVER STORY

Embracing Apprenticeships The time is now

BY J O N AT H A N H U N L E Y

N

orthern Virginia may have fared better economically during the COVID-19 pandemic than many other parts of the nation, but local companies are having difficulty hiring talent because of labor shortages.

That’s one of the key findings of the 2021 Northern Virginia Workforce Index, a new project from the Northern Virginia 18

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Chamber of Commerce and Northern Virginia Community College.

In a survey of 91 business leaders, 50% of respondents said that, since the beginning of the year, hiring has been more difficult than usual. And 42% indicated that an overall shortage of candidates has been a primary barrier to filling jobs over the past 12 months.

So what are companies to do? One answer could come in the form of apprenticeships, which are offered by only 16% of the businesses surveyed for the index,

which provides information on hiring, retention and professional development trends among employers in the area.

“Regional businesses generally maintain a conventional approach to education, training and professional development, yet now is the perfect opportunity for employers to expand talent pipelines through alternate means, such as apprenticeships,” said the executive summary of the index, written

by Tucker Plumlee, manager of labor market research at Northern Virginia

By Will Reintzell

By B. Vartan Boyajian Photography

Courtesy of Fairfax County Economic Development Authority

By Rouse Photography Group

Courtesy of Northern Virginia Community College Photography

Community College.

Creating an apprenticeship program is a great opportunity for a business to distinguish itself from other employers, Plumlee said in an interview. One place interested companies can look for help in this effort is the Greater Washington Apprentice Network, created a year ago when executives with Aon and Accenture brought the concept to the Northern Virginia Chamber.

The network’s mission is to help firms in the region adopt an apprentice-based model of “earn and learn,” meaning that employees get on-the-job training as they earn a living. The idea is that while some skills can be developed within an educational environment, others, such as team-building and leadership, can best be nurtured within the workplace.

The apprentice network connects employers and academic institutions, along with the public and private sectors.

Companies gain access to best practices from peers, sources of potential apprentice candidates, support services, training resources and more. The inspiration was a similar network founded in Chicago, said Jennifer Williamson, vice president of workforce and member engagement with the Chamber.

“Taking on apprentices also helps businesses identify more diverse candidates,” Williamson said. “It’s been a feature of the program.”

To fill its apprenticeships, Aon looks for candidates who are flexible and have an orientation toward trying new things or figuring things out, said Janet Osborn, East Region Leader for the risk brokerage and consulting firm.

Would-be apprentices should have a high school diploma or GED and “some work history,” even if that just means time spent in the fast-food industry.

Aon, which was also instrumental in creating the Chicago network, has five apprentices locally. “This is what I spend a lot of my time talking about,” Osborn said.

NT Concepts, a Vienna-based government contractor, hopes to have software-development apprentices in place by the spring, said Chris Gros, the company’s vice president of talent. The firm would like to find military veterans who want to learn a technical skill.

“Our apprenticeship program seeks entry and mid-career veteran and diverse employees who typically hold a current security clearance and have an aptitude and desire to learn a new skill,” said a description of the program.

Gros, himself a former U.S. Marine, noted the difficulty of landing the right employees for open positions.

“This is a hard market to find individuals in,” he said.

Underscoring that point, the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority’s website workinnorthernvirginia.com prominently announces that there are 161,890 active job listings in the area.

Mike Batt, director of the authority’s talent initiative, said a lot of companies are interested in apprenticeship programs, but many haven’t taken advantage of them yet. However, if

Clockwise from top, left: MIKE BATT, Director, Talent Initiative, Fairfax County Economic Development Authority. JENNIFER WILLIAMSON, Vice President, Workforce & Member Engagement, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

JANET OSBORN, East Region Leader, Aon. CHRIS GROS, Vice President, Talent NT Concepts. TUCKER PLUMLEE, Manager of Labor Market Research, Northern Virginia Community College.

they don’t embrace the model they will struggle to fill jobs, he added.

What’s happening now is that a lot of positions are going unfilled as businesses cling to the notion that to be qualified for their jobs candidates must have at least a bachelor’s degree, Batt said.

That means they are overlooking those who don’t have that diploma from a fouryear school but who did graduate from high school and do have skills. These are people who may have enrolled in college but didn’t finish. Or have a two-year community college degree or received technical training through a certification program.

Opportunity@Work, a Washingtonbased nonprofit, calls these people STARs, or “Skilled Through Alternative Routes,” and estimates that there are 70 million or more of them in the country.

“There are 70 million people they’re missing to help fill their jobs around here,” Batt said of some local employers.

Why are they missing out on these STARs? They are looking to meet near-term employment targets instead of considering long-term opportunities, Batt said.

He added that embracing the apprenticeship model requires educating chief human-resource officers and executive leadership at these companies on these kinds of programs and getting them to invest in them.

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SPOTLIGHT

COURTESY JOHNNY MAC SOLDIERS FUND

on non-profit

COURTESY JOHNNY MAC SOLDIERS FUND

Left: Colonel John “Johnny Mac” McHugh. Above: The first Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund gala raised $1.4 million dollars. To date, the organization has awarded more than $20 million in scholarships to veterans and military family members, especially children of the fallen or disabled.

Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund Honoring the fallen one scholarship at a time

BY PAU L L A R A 20

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J

ohn McHugh’s childhood friends knew he would have a distinguished career. They just didn’t know that it would be because he was good at so many things.

“He excelled in everything he did since kindergarten,” Kevin Morris, a lifelong friend, told The Associated Press.

McHugh, also known as “Johnny Mac,” settled on an Army career and rose to the rank of colonel after graduating from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, along with two master’s degrees – one in administration from American Public University and the other in strategic studies from the Army War College.

On May 18, 2010, Col. McHugh went to Kabul to check on a new headquarters site when he was killed by a Taliban suicide bomber.

His daughter, Kelly McHugh Stewart, recalls that her father was supposed to be in Afghanistan for just two weeks and then

COURTESY WESLEY BAUGUESS

COURTESY JOHNNY MAC SOLDIERS FUND

A West Point classmate of John McHugh, MaryEllen Picciuto has been president of as he was the most senior officer killed in the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund since 2014.

COURTESY JOHNNY MAC SOLDIERS FUND

Johnny Mac Scholar Greyson Gilbert is one of 5 siblings and was only 6 yearsold when he lost his father, a U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter pilot killed in action in Iraq. Greyson attends Clemson University, where he studies Health Sciences. “My dad’s dream for us,” said Gilbert, “was to follow our dreams and chase our goals in life.”

return to the family’s military home in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas “It was a complete shock to my family – he wasn't even deployed,” she added.

A suicide bomber killed 18 people after driving a minibus packed with explosives into her father’s convoy. Five U.S. soldiers were killed, along with a Canadian colonel and 12 Afghan civilians “My dad – my hero – wasn't coming home. My life was forever changed,” she said.

He left behind his wife, Connie and five children. His oldest son, Michael, was serving in Iraq when his father was killed.

He met his father’s body in Kuwait and escorted him home.

MaryEllen Picciuto was a West Point classmate of McHugh’s, and was stunned,

action in Afghanistan and the only one from her West Point class post-9/11 to be killed in action. Several of his classmates set up an informal fundraiser to send his children to college.

A couple of her classmates realized what a crucial benefit this would provide to other Gold Star Families, and in 2014 Picciuto joined them as president to create the Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund.

The organization, which is based in Ashburn, is a member of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.

Bob Eisiminger attended West Point, a couple of years behind McHugh and was shocked at the loss.

“John was a guy I looked up to as a freshman at West Point,” Eisiminger said.

“He was an inspiration to those around him with his contagious smile, and he was my inspiration.”

Eisiminger noted that one of the most profound values instilled at West Point is a sense of service to the nation.

“A lot of individuals do five or 10 years and get out, and then invest free time to charitable causes, and a lot of that is in service of active-duty folks, helping those who take care of the defense of our country,” said Eisiminger, who is an Army brat, born in California and raised in New Jersey and Fort Meade, Maryland.

Picciuto said when the fund was set up, she was confident that the people supporting it would make it successful.

By the end of its first year, the fund made its first grant, of $50,000, Picciuto said. “In our first full year, 2015, we hosted two galas and two golf tournaments, which is pretty big for a small nonprofit. It was crazy, but crazy fun that put us on the map.”

The fund had raised $3 million by the end

Left (from left to right): Gold Star Wife Wesley Bauguess and daughters Ryann and Ellie. Just 6 and 4 years-old when their father, U.S. Army Major Larry Bauguess, was killed in action in Pakistan, both are now Johnny Mac Scholars attending college.

of 2015 and held its first gala, in Houston, with the Army Chief of Staff, Ray Odierno.

“The momentum from there just kept building, and it still is,” Picciuto said.

The Johnny Mac Soldiers Fund now has awarded over $20 million in scholarships to veterans and military family members, especially children of the fallen or disabled. There are now 3,000 Johnny Mac Scholars attending schools all over the country.

Eisiminger noted that there is a sharp rise in eligible families, due to the long shadow cast by the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“In 2007 there was a surge of troops in Afghanistan, and Iraq in 2009. There was a lot of death and injury in that time frame and babies then are now collegeaged,” Eisiminger said. “Though the wars are in some ways behind us, the need to take care of the children is still there and even growing. The peak need goes to 2024 before dropping off a little bit.”

Col. McHugh’s daughter, Kelly, graduated from Kansas State University in 2013 – three years to the day since her father was killed, and began her career as a writer.

“Since my father was killed in action, I have learned that I will never completely heal, but that’s OK. My life has taken on a new normal,” McHugh Stewart said. “I can allow my father's death to hold me back, or I can use it as motivation to move forward and help better the amazing country for which he died. Every day, I am moving forward to make my soldier proud.”

For more information, go to johnnymac.org ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Paul Lara is a reporter covering military and veterans issues for InsideNoVa. He can be reached at plara@insidenova.com.

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SPOTLIGHT

on education

Roadmap to Reskilling Workers Retooling educational and training programs to meet the demands of the technology industry

BY S U E B A L DA N I

W

hen COVID-19 hit, a majority of the people who found themselves out of work were in the hospitality and retail sectors.

When these industries were forced to temporarily shut down, their workers were not able to easily transition into jobs that could be performed online.

In the fall of 2020, Jonathan Aberman, dean of Marymount College of Business, Innovation, Leadership & Technology, and Terry Clower, director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University, collaborated on a research project to determine how these employees could find work, especially in the technology industry or in companies that use technology. But they first had to find out what skills these industry employers were seeking.

“If this region is ever going to be what it needs to be, we have to figure out how to have a really well-educated technology workforce, because just about every industry that matters in the 21st century economy, whether it’s healthcare, education or government contracts, will depend upon technological and digital awareness,” Aberman said.

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During COVID, he noticed that these were the industries that were thriving.

He asked himself, “What does that mean for our workforce? It probably means we need to have more tech workers. If we have this pool of people who could be used in the tech industry, what do we have to do to get them into it?”

That was the question posed in the research, and the report, “Roadmap to Reskilling: Reskilling Leisure, Hospitality and Retail Workers for Technology Employment,” set out to answer it.

Aberman met with CEOs and human resource professionals from a variety of local companies, including big and small government contractors, rapidly growing technology startups and non-tech companies that use tech workers.

“We set off to see what it would take to hire these people in tech jobs, and it revealed a lot of interesting things about the topography of our workforce ecosystem that people hadn’t really identified before and it allowed us to shatter some myths,” Aberman said.

Aberman said the region has three different kinds of tech industries:

government contracting, technology companies that are growing by selling technology products, and companies that are using technology.

Each of them looks at talent differently and has a greater or lesser tolerance for people having or not having degrees, for diversity, and for alternative credentials.

“If you’re talking about workforce, you need to understand there’s not one employer type,” Aberman said. “The other thing we learned blew up a myth that the region needs to have more workforce training programs. What we actually heard from employers is that we don’t need more training programs, but more students who come out of these programs ready to work.”

Another myth that was busted is that all someone needs for a tech career is the right certifications, Clower said.

“What we found was that certainly skills were important, but there was this fundamental lack of employability skills.

What employers need, from day one, is someone who can walk in and at least begin to quickly adopt and adapt to the culture of the technology workforce.”

Based on the research, Marymount

Left: Terry Clower, Director, Center for Regional Analysis, George Mason University. Below: Jonathan Aberman, Dean, Marymount College of Business, Innovation, Leadership & Technology.

has applied for a state grant to launch a 2½-month program called Tech Set to teach about 200 underprivileged students how to use LinkedIn, Slack and Zoom, as well as how to write an office memo, use email properly and dress appropriately.

“We think we can learn a lot by creating a high value-added training program for underprivileged college students,” Aberman said.

If the grant is approved, Marymount will develop the syllabus with input from technology employers and venture capital firms that have each committed to help hone the program. In addition, the firms will provide money that will be used as a stipend to reward students who complete the program. These funds will help them buy clothes, books and other necessities.

“We’ve also gotten employers to commit to interviewing these students when they complete the program,” Clower said. “There’s no guarantee they will be hired, but if we can do what we think we can, it wouldn’t surprise me if these students receive multiple job offers. If we aren’t delivering what these employers are expecting, they will let us know. We will then improve and revise

“If this region is ever going to be what it needs to be, we have to figure out how to have a really well-educated technology workforce, because just about every industry that matters in the 21st century economy, whether it’s healthcare, education or government contracts, will depend upon technological and digital awareness.”

— JONATHAN ABERMAN, DEAN, MARYMOUNT COLLEGE OF BUSINESS, INNOVATION, LEADERSHIP & TECHNOLOGY

the syllabus for the next cohort.”

Aberman believes that these research findings will also help create clear roadmaps for retail and hospitality employees who want to change their careers.

“It’s clear that many tech employers will take on talented people with nontraditional backgrounds, but at this point it is done anecdotally without a clear process,” Aberman said.

“Our research provides guideposts

for employers to pool their desire to hire nontraditional people into a comprehensive plan, as well as for operators of training programs to communicate how their graduates are prepared for specific roles with specific employers.”

More information about the research, including preliminary findings, can be found at tiny.cc/7pcjuz.

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SPOTLIGHT

on small business

Every Word Matters Piedmont Global Language Solutions delivers accurate communication in any language

Below: Mohamed Hussein, Founder and CEO, Piedmont Global Language Solutions. Right (from left to right): Nabil Hassan, Project Manager, Abril Marquez, Quality Control Specialist, Catherine Early, Director of Operations, and Mohamed Hussein, CEO.

BY M I K E A L L E N

F

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COURTESY PGLS

rom pre-med student to successful language service entrepreneur is not a path most would take, but for Piedmont Global Language Solutions founder and CEO Mohamed Hussein, the road less traveled has worked out just fine.

Now at just 32, Hussein is at the helm of a company with 50 employees and thousands of freelance language professionals from around the world who specialize in over 200 languages and dialects. Since PGLS was started in 2013, it has grown every year, expanding its clientele base as well as the breadth of services offered. The majority of employees work out of the company’s Arlington headquarters, but PGLS also has offices around the country.

Growing up in Northern Virginia where college attendance is the norm and career expectations high, Hussein followed the path of many and attended George Mason University. He earned a pre-med degree, but learned he didn’t want to be a doctor.

Like a lot of young graduates, he considered many options, including law school, but decided to see a bit of the world first. Being of Somalian heritage and tri-lingual, he took a job teaching English as a foreign language in the Middle East. He also did some translating on the side and even some private tutoring. It wasn’t long before he sensed an opportunity.

“I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and with the number of

Left: Piedmont Global Language Systems has been recognized as a Top 100 Minority Business Enterprise by the Capital Region Minority Supplier Diversity Council. The award recognizes owners of minority business enterprises in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia that have demonstrated exceptional entrepreneurial accomplishments, a high level of professionalism, and have made substantial contributions to their community.

BY CATHERINE EARLY

interactions between government, military and non-governmental organizations with countries not only in the Middle East but globally, I thought the DMV would be an ideal spot to take something I know and turn it into a business opportunity,” he said.

After returning to the region, Hussein launched PGLS as a oneperson operation. Knowing he would be understaffed, he realized he would have to use technology to make up the difference.

PGLS uses a variety of technologies to run its business and optimize it's production. Computer Assisted Translation (CAT) and Translation Memory Tools (TM) work as a linguistic database that stores source content and captures a human translator's corresponding translated content as they work. The softwares saves these segments to be re-used in the future, thus

improving the efficiency and consistency of human translators.

However, it is vital to remember that CAT/TM tools do not produce “machine translations,” although some CAT/ TM tools do possess some Machine Translation (MT) functionality which can be used in conjunction with the CAT/ TM tool and a human translator/editor (known as “Human-Assisted Machine Translation” or HAMT). Therefore, a translation performed using a CAT/TM tool is still a “human translation.”

Hussein acknowledges that technology can’t replace human involvement when it comes to many translation and interpretation needs. He said, .”Linguists won’t be replaced by technology but rather by linguists that use technology.”

The company’s services have grown to include translation, interpretation, American sign language, transcription, training, staffing, cultural sensitivity

training, language instruction, localization and more. With such varied services, recruitment is an essential part of the business. In order to facilitate client needs, Hussein recruits from a variety of professional affiliations, associations and universities, and for more rare and obscure client needs – such as for dialects that aren’t widely spoken – he turns to embassies, churches, and mosques.

Although a number of companies specialize in language solutions, there is no shortage of opportunity. Potential clients include the federal government, international organizations like the IMF and World Bank, private companies with global outreach, and a host of non-governmental organizations and nonprofit organizations.

“We pride ourselves on the quality of our service. We aren’t the cheapest, but I like to think we are among the best,” Hussein said.

He added that the company targets potential clients and builds long-term relationships with them but also is solicited for its services. “Though we do provide ‘one-off’ type services when the occasion warrants it, we are looking for long-term, repetitive business.”

Of course the federal government is a perfect client in this regard, and PGLS is on the General Services Administration professional services schedule and has done work for agencies including the Department of Justice, Department of Defense and State Department.

Hussein said he is proud of his company’s work in judicial situations where testimony requires exact and specific translation that can potentially condemn or exonerate an individual. However, because much of this work requires clearance, the successes can’t be broadcast.

“Sometimes it’s good to not be known publicly because it means you didn’t mess up,” Hussein said.

Having grown every year since its inception, PGLS is looking to continue the trend, Hussein added. “We plan to grow organically and inorganically through acquisition in the coming years.

This is a growth company, not a lifestyle company.”

With his youthful energy, continued incorporation of cutting-edge technology and mounting recognition in the community, the road less traveled was clearly the right one.

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EVENTS chamber signature gatherings

Photo by Jennifer Williamson

Welcome Back Celebration

On Thursday, August 5, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce hosted its first in-person event since the start of the pandemic. Held at The Garden in Alexandria, the Welcome Back Celebration was a resounding success and, perhaps more importantly, yet another demonstration of the professionalism and consideration our business community's members show to one another. With freshly sanitized hands and elbow bumps instead of handshakes, we enjoyed a much-needed evening spent together that focused on building and strengthening relationships.

Left: Luanne Gutermuth, CEO, LSG Solutions and current Chair of the Chamber Board, with Mike Forehand, Vice President, Government & Community Affairs at Inova Health System.

6th Annual Regional Elected Leaders Summit

On August 24, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, and cohosts Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, Loudoun Chamber of Commerce, Prince William Chamber of Commerce, and Northern Virginia Regional Commission, hosted the 6th Annual Regional Elected Leaders Forum at George Mason University’s VanMetre Hall. Moderated by Drew Wilder, Northern Virginia Reporter, NBC Washington, the forum featured the following local elected leaders: The Honorable Katie Cristol, Vice Chair, Arlington County Board; The Honorable Jeff McKay, Chair, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; The Honorable Phyllis Randall, Chair, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors; The Honorable Ann Wheeler, Chair AtLarge, Prince William County Board of Supervisors; and The Honorable Justin Wilson, Mayor, City of Alexandria.

Photo by Thomas Fitzpatrick, Arlington Chamber of Commerce

FROM LEFT: Moderator Drew Wilder, Arlington County Board Vice Chair Katie Cristol, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Jeff McKay, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall, Prince William County Board of Supervisors At-Large Chair Ann Wheeler, and City of Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson. Photo Thomas Fitzpatrick, Arlington Chamber of Commerce at the 6th annual Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit at George Mason University in Arlington on Tuesday, August 24.

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2021 Capital Region Business Forum

On September 9, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Greater Washington Board of Trade and Prince George's Chamber of Commerce hosted Muriel Bowser, Mayor of the District of Columbia, Larry Hogan, Governor of the State of Maryland and Ralph Northam, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, at the Annual Capital Region Business Forum to advance regional cooperation.

Moderated by Tony Pierce, Partner, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP, the forum provided these key leaders the opportunity to share their thoughts on the future of the American Legion Bridge, the region’s business environment, and public policy issues.

Photo by Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

Photo by Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

From left to right: Julie Coons, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce; Larry Di Rita, Bank of America; DC Mayor Muriel Bowser; Tony Pierce, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP; Jack McDougle, Greater Washington Board of Trade; Gov. Ralph Northam; Rosie Allen-Herring, United Way of the National Capital Area; Gov. Larry Hogan; David Harrington, Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce; and Jeffrey Swilley, Employ Prince George’s Inc.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, and Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican at the Capital Region Business Forum in Washington on Sept. 9. District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser also participated in the event.

Photo by Clayton Medford

On September 23, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2021 State of Transportation. Featuring keynote speaker Tyler Duvall, CEO and co-founder of Cavnue, a company focused on innovation in transportation, and moderated by Robert McCartney, formerly with Keynote speaker The Washington Post, the State of Tyler Duvall, Transportation featured an all-star CEO, Cavnue. panel that included Kate Mattice of NVTC, Monica Backmon of NVTA, and Nick Donohue, Deputy Secretary of Transportation for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Photo by Clayton Medford

Annual State of Transportation

From left to right: Moderator Robert McCartney, formerly of the Washington Post, Nicholas Donohue, Deputy Secretary of Transportation, Virginia, Kate Mattice, Executive Director, Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, and Monica Backmon, CEO, Northern Virginia Transportation Authority.

Photos by Paul Lara / InsideNova

Top of the Ticket

On September 28, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce hosted Top of the Ticket at the Alexandria campus of Northern Virginia Community College. The region’s premier political event, every major statewide candidate has participated in this debate for the past 30 years. This year, former Governor Terry McAuliffe and businessman Glenn Democrat Terry Youngkin went head-to-head in front McAuliffe (left) and Republican of a live audience made up of Chamber Glenn Youngkin. members only.

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